Engine starting apparatus



-YJuly 2l, 1936. R. cHuJoNA l ENGINE STARTING APPARATUS,

Original Filed` Jan. 30, 1929 Gttorncg Patented July 21, 1936 UNITED STATES- PATENT ori-ica nimmav sTAaTrNG APPARATUS Roland Chilton, Keyport, N.

.1., assignor. by

mesne assignments, to Eclipse Machine Company, Elmira Heights, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application January vso, 1929, serial No. 336,310'y Renewed November 30, 1934 8 Claims.

This invention relates to starters for internal V combustion engines of the type embodying an inertia. member or ywheel.

One of the objects of the invention is to pro- '5 vide a novel inertia or flywheel starter which 10 rangement of parts whereby compactness and small'overall dimensions are obtained. Other objects will-appear more fully hereinafter.

One embodiment of the invention has been illustrated in the accompanying drawing, which 5 is a sectional side elevation of one form of the invention with certain parts shown in full, but it is to be expressly understood that said drawing is for purposes of illustrationv only and is not to be construed as a definition of the limits 2,0 of the invention, reference being had tothe appended claims for this purpose.

f In the form shown in the drawing, the starter mechanism is housed in any suitable casing or housing, which as shown is of light metal and g5. comprises two cooperating housing parts I and 2, the part I being'preferably secured to the casing 3 of an engine in any suitable manner, as by means of bolts 4. The part 2 of the casing is provided with a substantially circular well 30 or depression 5 in which is rotatably mounted a flywheel 6 of relatively .small size and light weight. In the form shown, the flywheel 6 is mounted on a shaft 1, one end of which is supported in ball bearings 8 mounted in the cas- 5 ing, the other end of said shaft being supported in a'ball bearing 9 as hereinafter described.

At the other side of the casing, and preferably in axial' alinement with the shaft 1, is a rotatable A and axially displaceable member adapted to en- 40 gage the shaft of an engine to be started. `In the form shown, the casing part I is provided with a seat I 6 for a ball bearing Il, held in place by means of a retaining ring I2 and screws I3. Ball bearing II supports a barrel or sleeve I4, within which is a shaft I5 splined to said barrelat I6. 'Ihe outer end of the shaft .I5 is provided with teeth I1 of any suitable type adapted to engage corresponding teeth I8 formed on the end of a shaft I9 of an engine to be started. Any suit- 1 able means may be provided for shifting the shaft I5 axially to engage the teeth I1 and I 8, and as shown, a ring 20 threaded on the outer end of the shaft I5 is provided with a' groove 2| adapted to receive a fork or other shifting mem- 55'.' ber. The inner end of the barrel/I4 Supports (CL 12S-179) the ball/bearing 9, above referred to, .which provides a bearing for the inner end of the shaft 1.

'Ihe flywheel 6 is drivingly connected to the Shaft I6 through suitable gearing so that energy stored in the flywheel 6 by rapidly rotat- 5 ing the same may be used to turn over the engine shaft I9, when the shaft I5 is shifted `to' engage the teeth 'I1 and I8. In the form shown, the barrel I4 carries a circular plate or flange 22,

preferably integral therewith, which together l0 with a retaining ring 23 threaded on said barrel serves to hold thelatter against movement axially relative to the ball bearing II. A toothed rim 24 is suitably secured to the periphery of thev plate 22, as by means of bolts or rivets 25,. The gear constituted by toothed rim 24 meshes with teeth 26 formed on a lay or countershaft 21 having its ends mounted in ball bearings 26 and 29 carried respectively by the casing parts I and 2, and adapted for limited longitudinal movement therethrough. 'Ihe shaft 21 carries a gear 30 which meshes with teeth 3i formed on the ilywheel shaft 1. AOwing to the two-step reduction formed by gears 30 and 3l and gears 24 and 26, the flywheel 6 rotates at much greater speed than the shaft I5.

If the teeth i1 and I6 are meshed suddenly while the flywheel 6 is rotating at high speed, the initial resistance to turning of engine shaft I9 may be so great as to cause breaking of some of the parts, and to this end a yieldable driving connection is interposed in the gear train between the ywheel 6 and the shaft I5. Preferably the yieldable driving connection is so disposed with relation to the cooperating elements of the gear train as to make it possible to provide a novel method of setting the gears, characterized by the fact. that the gears are rst assembled with the yieldable parts interposed between the cooperating elements of an intermediate gear set, such assembly of the gears being effected prioi' to setting'of the clutch. In this way all necessity for accurate angular relationship between the gear and pinion teeth is avoidedas the clutch may be tightened after the gears have been meshed,

whereupon they will assume their natural posirying a plurality of annular friction plates 33 55 through which the shaft 21 passes freely. AA similar number of friction plates 34, splined to the shaft 21, alternate with the plates 33. Suitable means are provided for maintaining the plates 33 and 34 in f rictional engagement, and in the form shown such means are resilient and adjustf able to vary the load-at which plates 33 and 34 will slip relative to one another. As shown, an end plate 35 is carriedv by the shaft 21 on one lside ofthe plates 33 and 34, said plate 35 being threaded to receive a nut 31 which can be tightened from a position outside the'housing, after the gears .and cooperating parts have beeninstalled. This tightening action serves to increase the pressure of the spring plate 36. As will be seen from the drawing, nut 31 bears against the inner vrace of bearing 29 in such a manner thatl when the nut is tightened, shaft 21 is moved longitudinally to the right, as viewed in the drawing,

through said bearing, carrying withv it the clutch i assembly and gear 30, and increasing the presa pin or bolt 43 threaded in a bracket 44 forming sure of spring plate 36 by tending to flatten it between said gear and bearing 29.

In the embodiment of the invention shown, the flywheel 6 is preferably adapted to be manually put in rotation, and consequently a hand crank or the like is required which may be rotated'at comparatively low speed. Accordingly, the inner end of the barrel I4 is threaded and carries a pinion 38 meshing with a pinion or worm gear 39. The gear 39 is recessedto provide a seat 40 for a ball bearing 4| held in place by a retaining ring 42, and the ball bearing. is mounted 'on a part of the casing part 2. A worm 45 mounted on a shaft 46 meshes lwith the worm gear 39, and the shaft 46 may be provided with a suitable hand crank or the like (not shown) whereby the worm 45 may be rotated.

When it is desired to use the starter, the teeth I 1 and I8 being disengaged, the shaft 46 is rotated by hand. The worm 45 acts through the worm gear 39 and pinion 38 to rotate the barrel I4 and the shaft I5, and through the gear 24, teeth` 26, friction clutch 33, 34, gear 30, and teeth 3I, to rotate the flywheel 6. When the speed of rotation of the flywheel-is sufficiently high, the shaft I5 is shifted axially on the splines I 6 to engage the teeth II and I8. The energy stored in the rotating flywheel 6 turns over the engine shaft I9, the friction clutch 33, 34 yielding under the initial load until shaft I9 rotates sufficiently to decrease the load below the point at which said clutch is adjusted to slip. When the engine starts, the engine shaft I9 overruns the shaft I5, and owingl to the shape of the teeth I1 and I8, shaft I5 is forced axially backward into the position shown in the drawing where the teeth I'I and I8 are disengaged.

shaft, the mechanism is very compact and of small size. The reduction of overall dimensions,

which results from the novel arrangement of the apparatus is particularly important, because the .amount of space which can be devotedto apparatus of this character, especially in automobile and aeroplane engines, is usually limited. Moreover, while the starter is sufficiently small to be suitable for the lightest service engines, it also has sudlicient power to operate any of the larger power plants ordinarily used, so that only one type of starter is required. 'I'his feature results in increased quantity production and low unit cost, both of the original apparatusand of repair or replacement of parts, and decreases service difiiculties. f

While only one embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described, it is to be expressly understood that the invention is capable of a variety of mechanical expressions, and that changes may be made in the form, detail and arrangement of the parts, without departing from the spirit of the invention. Reference is therefore to be had to the appended claims for a 2,0

- definition of the limits of the invention.

What is claimed is:

l. In combination with a driven member, a driving member and a train of reduction gearing drivably -connecting said driving and driven members, a rotatable and longitudinally movable shaft, yieldably engaged elements carried by said shaft and interposed in said train of gearing, resilient means maintaining-said elements in engagment, a fixed abutment for said resilient 30 means, and means for longitudinally moving said shaft to adjust said resilient means after all parts yhave been assembled.

2. In combination with a. driven member, a driving member and a train of reduction gearing drivably connecting said driving and driven Y members, a rotatable and longitudinally movable shaft, a friction clutch carried by said shaft and interposed in said train of gearing, said clutch comprising frictionally engaged elements, a stationary abutment, resilient means interposed be-l tween said abutment and said elements, and means for moving said shaft longitudinally rela.- tive to said abutment, whereby the tension of said resilient means is varied after all parts have been assembled.

3. In apparatus of the class described, the combination of driving and driven members and a housing therefor, a, connecting shaft, one end of which projects from said housing, a friction 50 plate carried by said shaft, a gear having a. hub mounted loosely on said shaft and a. tubular extension substantially intermediate its hub and teeth, said extension being laterally offset from said hub and teeth, a cooperating friction plate carried by said extension, resilient means maintaining sa' plates in engagement, and means engageable with the projecting end of said shaft to holdsaid resilient means under tension.

' 4. In apparatus, of the class described, the combination of driving and driven members and a connecting shaft, a friction plate carried by said shaft, a gear having a hub mounted loosely on said shaft and a tubular extension substantially intermediate its hub and teeth, said extension being laterally o'set from said hub and teeth, a cooperating friction plate carried by said extension, a stationary abutment, resilient means interposed between said abutment and said gear, and means for moving said shaft longitudinally 70 after all parts have been assembled.

5. In apparatus of the class described, the

l combination of driving and driven members and a connectingshaft, a friction plate carried by Said shaft, a gear having a. hub mounted loosely on said shaft and a tubular extension substantially intermediate its hub andteeth, said ex-l ing of a single nut adjustable after all parts have beenvv assembled.

6. In apparatus of the class described, the combination of driving and driven members and a connecting shaft, one end of which projects beyond said-housing, a friction plate carried by said shaft, agear mounted loosely on said shaft, a

cooperating friction plate carried by said gear, a bearing rotatably supporting said shaft, a resilient plate abutting said bearing at its center and said gear at its periphery, and means abutting the other face of said bearing for adjusting the pressure exerted on said friction plates by said resilient plate, said adjusting means including a nut threaded to the projecting end of said shaft, and a pinion formed near the other end thereof, said pinion being movable relatively to saidfriction plates in response to rotation of said nut.

7. In`apparatus of the class described,. the combination of driving and driven 4members and a connecting shaft, a friction plate lcarried by said shaft, a gear having a hub mounted loosely on said shaft and a tubular extension substantially intermediate its hub and teeth, said extension being laterally offset from said hub and teeth, a cooperating friction plate carried by said extension, resilient means maintaining said plates in engagement, andv means accessible externally of said housing for adjusting the stress in said resilient means, said means including a single nut engageable with said shaft.

8. In adevice of the class described, the combination of a high speed pinion, a maindriven gear coaxial. therewith, a layshaft comprising a pinion 'meshed with said gear, a second gear meshed with said high speed pinion, a friction 20 driving connection, said means including a nut 25 manipulable from outside the gear housing, after assembly of all moving parts.

ROLAND CHILTON. 

